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Fri, May 20, 2022 | 09:28
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Driving schools packed before test change
"쉬울 때 따자"…운전면허 시험장·학원 북새통
Posted : 2016-02-05 15:36
Updated : 2016-02-08 09:51
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The Driver's License Examination Office in Gangnam, southern Seoul, is crowded with driver's license applicants, Monday, before the driving test gets harder in the latter half of this year. / Yonhap
The Driver's License Examination Office in Gangnam, southern Seoul, is crowded with driver's license applicants, Monday, before the driving test gets harder in the latter half of this year. / Yonhap

By Chung Hyun-chae

A growing number of people are rushing to driving schools to prepare for the driver's test before the test gets harder.

The move came after the National Police Agency announced on Jan. 27 that it would toughen the requirements on the driver's license application process in the latter half of this year, the first change in five years.

"I recently finished my military service and I am searching for a suitable driving school near my home so I can get a driver's license before the test gets harder," said Oh Kwan-seok, 23, a university student who suspended his education due to his military duty, Thursday.

"Actually I failed the exam once but I didn't care and put off earning the license because I thought I could do it easily anytime if I really set my mind to it. But now I'm a bit in haste," he added.

It was 2011 when the driving test became easier with the aim of enhancing public convenience. However, there have been concerns over the simple test that underprepared drivers cause more accidents, which also lead to increased insurance premiums.

The police said the new test will include courses such as hill starts and parking and the closed course test will be lengthened from the current 50 meters to 300 meters.

With people like Oh desperate to earn their licenses, the schools are enjoying a boom.

"More than 80 people register per day, 20 percent up from the average, besides the flood of phone calls," said an official of a driving school located in Nowon, northern Seoul. "We expect more students within the first half of the year."

But the official said the temporal increase is not entirely good news to the schools, as they expect enrollment to decrease again after the exam gets harder.

"It costs about 100 million won to construct new driving courses under the revised rules," he added.

Those planning to take the driving test also expressed their dissatisfaction with the plan to toughen the exam.

"As a definite date for the revision has yet to be confirmed, it is difficult to set my own plans for this year," said a 20-year-old woman.

Those who cannot apply soon are showing fears of the new test.

"I have no time to go to a driving school, so I will ask my father to teach me how to drive," said a 21-year-old woman in Daejeon. "How difficult will the exam be? I am worried that I will never get my driver's license."

By taking advantage of such worries, illegal advertisements from unlicensed driving schools have appeared, promising to help applicants earn their licenses easily at lower cost. Police asked people not to be misled by those gimmicks.



"쉬울 때 따자"…운전면허 시험장·학원 북새통

'지금 예약해도 기능·주행 강습은 다음 달에나 받을 수 있습니다' 

2일 충북 청주시 서원구의 A 운전면허 학원. 이곳에서 상담업무를 보는 김정희(46)씨는 요즘 부쩍 늘어난 문의 전화에 쉴 틈이 없다.

평소 많아야 하루 20∼30건 되던 상담전화가 이날 오전에만 50건 넘게 걸려왔다. 

김씨는 '요즘 같은 방학 기간이 성수기이기는 하지만 운전면허 시험이 어려워진다는 소식 이후에는 문의전화가 확실히 많이 늘었다'고 전했다.

도로교통법 시행규칙 개정으로 올 하반기부터 운전면허 시험 난도가 높아진다는 경찰청 발표가 나오자 전국의 운전면허 시험장과 학원이 북새통을 이루고 있다.

정부는 2011년 6월 운전면허 기능시험 간소화 정책에 따라 T자와 S자 주행, 평행주차 등 기능시험 중 까다로운 항목을 대폭 없앴다.

하지만 이번 시행규칙 개정에 따라 대표적인 난코스로 꼽히는 '경사로에서 멈췄다가 출발하기'와 'Τ자 코스'가 부활할 전망이다.

그동안 '물면허'라고 얕잡아 보던 응시 예정자들이 조금 더 쉽게 면허를 따려면 서둘러야 하는 이유가 생긴 셈이다.

청주운전면허시험장에 따르면 경찰청 발표 하루 전인 지난달 26일 219명에 불과했던 응시생(학과·기능·도로주행)이 27일 264명, 28일 293명, 29일 309명으로 발표날부터 매일 약 10%씩 늘고 있다.

부산 남부·북부 운전면허시험장의 경우 하루 대기표가 900번대까지 나갈 정도로 방문객의 발길이 줄을 잇고 있다.

지난주부터는 하루 2번 200명 정원의 사전교육장이 연일 가득 차고, 필기시험 응시 정원도 300명에서 400명으로 늘려 운영하고 있다는 게 시험장 측의 설명이다. 

이 시험장 관계자는 '앞으로 응시생이 더 늘어날 것으로 보여 시험 접수 창구에 비상인력을 투입하는 방안을 검토하고 있다'고 말했다.

운전면허 학원가는 때아닌 특수에 행복한 비명을 지르고 있다.

대구 북구의 B 운전면허 학원은 요즘 등록 후 교육을 바로 하는 학과시험반과 달리 기능시험반은 예약 신청을 받고 있다.

등록생이 갑자기 늘어난 탓에 1대 1로 교육해야 하는 기능시험반 운영이 한계에 다다른 것이다.

이 학원 관계자는 '대기자가 워낙 많다 보니 지금 신청하더라도 빨라야 이달 중순 이후에나 교육을 받을 수 있어 등록 전 이를 설명한 뒤 양해를 구하고 있다'고 전했다.

광주 북구의 C 운전면허 학원 관계자도 '예년 같으면 대학생 방학이 끝나가는 2월이면 신규 등록이 상대적으로 줄어야 정상인데 요즘은 매일 20여통의 등록 문의전화를 받고 있다'고 말했다.

그러면서 '운전면허 시험이 어려워진다는 보도가 계속 나오고 있으니 새로운 제도 시행 전까지 서둘러 면허를 따려는 응시자가 이어질 것'이라고 말했다.

도로교통공단은 변경 제도 시행 시점이 확정 발표되면 응시자 증가세가 더욱 가파르게 상승곡선을 그리다 시행과 함께 감소할 것으로 내다봤다.

공단 관계자는 '과거 운전면허 시험 간소화 때 시행 전후 응시자가 눈에 띄게 줄었다 늘어났던 것의 반대 상황이라고 보면 될 것'이라며 '일단은 올해 여름방학을 전후해 응시생 수가 최고조에 이를 것으로 예상된다'고 말했다. (연합뉴스)
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